Don't advance the time
by Selyss
Summary: Takes place during GoF, few days after the Yule Ball. Hermione's in the library when she's approached by a certain handsome Hufflepuff guy. What was he doing there? And what can happen? My first attempt at HermioneCedric. Oneshot.


_**I do not own Harry Potter, just this story (well, duh!). I wrote it for fun, I get no profits from that.**_

_**Summary: Takes places during GoF, few days after the Yule Ball. Hermione is sitting in the library when she's approached by a certain handsome Hufflepuff guy. What was he doing there? And what can happen? Oneshot. My first attempt at Hermione/Cedric. Please, read and review! **_

Hermione was sitting in the library in her favourite place, a secluded table in the depths of the library, where no one was ever coming and she found there peace she needed to read or to think. Yes, she liked to just go there, sit at her favourite table and think.

So she was sitting there and doing her Transfiguration homework, her bushy hair falling on her face and eyes, though it didn't matter to her, she was too focused to realize. Her quill was writing on the parchment very quickly and one could find it amazing that her hand hadn't already got hurt. Well, maybe it had, but she didn't realize it either. From time to time she peeked up from her homework to look at the book, which was lying open on the table, to check if she didn't make any mistakes.

Imagine her suprise, when a voice called 'Hi! Can I sit here?'

She jumped and looked to her right to find a very handsome, tall young man, with grey-blue eyes and sand-coloured hair falling on them. He was smiling brightly to her, his white teeth shining from between his full, pink lips.

'Hey, are you here?' he asked, concern in his voice and stormy blue eyes.

'Yeah, sorry, I just didn't expect anyone in here, no one comes here and...' she paused, looking back at the parchment, embarassed a bit.

How did it come that the boy had such an effect on her? She wasn't the one to melt in guy's presence just 'cause he was handsome. But it wasn't that. His smile was so bright, it seemed to enlighten the room even more, though it was day, and his eyes showed so much emotion at the same time.

'No problem. Actually, I'm the one who should be sorry, I interrupted you,' he said. 'Cedric. Cedric Diggory,' he added, reaching out his hand to her. 'But I believe we had the pleasure to meet. At the Quidditch World Cup, you were with the Weasleys, along with Harry. Hermione...' he started, trying to recall her surname.

'Hermione Granger,' she took his outstreched hand to shake it, but he turned her hand lightly and brushed a feathery kiss on her knuckles, all the time looking in her eyes. She was surprised that he even remembered her name. 'And yes, we did meet, as you said, I was at the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys and Harry.'

'Too bad I didn't have the chance to know you better.

She's been told that he was a charmer, but she didn't have the idea that he could be that charming.

'So, what are you doing here?' she asked, motioning for him to sit in the chair on her right, which was the nearest one.

He sat down and said 'Well, I wanted to think a bit and now that I'm a _Tri-Wizard Champion,_' he grimaced at the words, 'I'm followed by fans, mostly by girls,' he was embarrased a little, he seemed to be too modest to boast about that.

'I understand. But I thought you wanted to take part in the Tournament. The Goblet chose you, so you have to be the right person to take part in it.'

'Of course I wanted to take part in it, I still do. I wouldn't back out if I had the chance, it's just that I don't like being popular, I like my privacy, thank you very much.'

'I see,' she smiled at him reassuringly. 'You know, Harry has the same problem, so I'm quite in the topic.'

'Yeah. You're a friend of his, aren't you?'

'Yes, I am. He's my best friend. I'd say that he's like a brother to me, but I don't know how it is to have a brother, so I can only say that if I had one, I wish he could be like Harry.'

'Are you the only child?'

'Yes, I am.'

'Me too,' he smiled even brighter. 'But what about that Weasley guy? Isn't he a friend of yours too?'

'Yes, he is, but it's different. With Harry I can talk about everything, and Ron... Well, he's being his bloody annoying self, so I have to watch out what I'm saying, 'cause I might offend his royalty.'

Hermione felt silly. She was talking about her life with a boy she barely knew. But he had something in him, something what made her want to spill her guts to him. _No wonder, he's a Hufflepuff, a true Hufflepuff_, she thought.

'Well, I'm going on and on about me, but you haven't said anything about yourself.'

'There's not much to say, I don't have an interesting life. About the Tournament you probably know from Harry and besides that nothing in my life is extraordinary.'

'You are,' Hermione said without thinking. She blushed furiously realising what she's just said.

'So are you,' he said it so softly that she looked up to see his eyes.

He stopped smiling, his face was unreadable, but was it just her or was he really moving closer?

Then there was a loud 'thump' and their heads snapped quickly in the direction of the noice. There was a first year who just dropped a book.

They looked back at each other, slightly nervous, both wondering what would've happened if the boy didn't drop the book.

'Err... Thank you,' Hermione spoke first, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

'I was only telling the truth,' Cedric's smile was back on his face. Hermione felt a bit dissapointed. That meant that nothing would happen. _Nothing would happen anyway_, she reprimended herself. _It's only my sick imagination._

'Don't worry about those girls. They'll get bored by the time, if you don't pay them any attention,' she put a reassuring hand on his arm. She suddenly felt uncomfortable with that, she didn't know him enough to do that. But she just wanted to help him, what's bad with that? _He'll think that I'm just his next fan girl, hanging herself on him_, she sighed.

Hermione started to take her hand off of his arm, but he kept it in place, covering her small palm with his bigger one. She blushed, feeling the electricity run through her. She took in a sharp breath to calm herself, but it didn't help. Her heart woldn't stop beating madly in her chest. _What's happening with me? I've never behaved like that before. I can't have a crush on him! But now, why can't I? I'm a growing girl, with hormones racing, and he's handsome, nice, polite and charming._

Deep in her thoughts as she was, she suddenly realized his face was only abut two inches from hers. Her heart started beating even faster, she felt hot and everything blurred, him being the only thing she was able to see. His stormy blue eyes were boring into hers, darkening a bit, and then they lowered to her lips. Her heart sped up even more, if that was possible. He inched closer and brushed his lips against hers, then again and again. It was sweet and gentle. Though she could've imagined what was about to happen, she was shocked nevertheless. He sensed her uncertainty, but didn't stop. _She may slap me after that, but I'm not going to give up that easily_, he thought as he continued placing butterfly kisses on her lips.

Suddenly Hermione snapped out of her shock and started responding him, pressing her lips into his more firmly. He smiled into the kiss as he pressed more firmly as well. _Well, sink or swim!_ he thought as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking her for the entrance. She immediately accepted his request, opening her mouth, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth and play with hers.

He placed his right hand on the back of her head, playing with her wild hair, and his left one on her lower back, bringing her closer to him, until she sat on his lap. She intwined her hands behind his neck.

That was when they heard that loud 'thump' again. They pulled away abruptly, Hermione trying to get up from Cedric's lap, but he held her in place, giving her the sign that whoever it was, they can see them together. She gave up and stayed in his lap.

Then they saw him. That first year. He dropped his book again, this time not from clumsiness but from surprise at what he was seeing. Hermione and Cedric laughed, the boy blushed, picked up the book and ran away quickly.

They stopped laughing and looked at each other. Cedric was gently stroking her back with his left hand, while his right one was still playing with her hair.

'I was so afraid to do that,' he admitted quietly.

'What?' she was surprised, she couldn't believe he had been thinking about kissing her before.

'I've wanted to kiss you since some time. I saw you in the library one day. You looked so beautiful. Since then I was coming here just to watch you. You've always been too deep in your thoughts or focused on the book or homework that you didn't even notice me.'

'Why were you afraid?' she asked.

'Well... You're quite an intimidating person, Hermione,' her name on his lips made her shiver a little. 'Don't misunderstand me, I mean, you're tough and everything and I didn't know how to approach you.'

'You did great on that though,' she smiled.

'I'm glad to hear that,' he smiled back. 'You know, you looked so beautiful during the Yule Ball that I regretted even more that it wasn't me who asked you first.'

They spent the rest of the day talking, Hermione in Cedic's lap, their hands never leaving each other's bodies. They felt so comfortable like that. Like nothing bad could happen. Each other was everything that mattered. They didn't want it to stop. But, as we know, all good things come to an end. But why advance the time?

**_Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story. Please, review. I love reading reviews, especially good ones ;) , but constructive criticism is welcome as well. And, as always, I apologise for my poor English, but I'm not from England._**


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